Repairing a Hollow Core Door

My hollow door has a dent in it caused by an object hitting it. The dent in the wood has left cracks surrounding the dent. I have used heat before for dents made on other wood furniture to smooth the surface, How do I repair this door?

Try wood filler and smooth over the dent. Wait to dry and sand smooth and paint over it. If the door is not a painted door, but of woodgrain, the filler will be obvious. I'm not sure if you can stain over the filler and cover it either. But, you can definitely use it to fill in a place.

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How do I fix my bedroom door? It is a hollow wood door and is split where the hinge screws into the door. Can I fill the holes with something and then re-screw the hinge?

Casey from New Britain, CT

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

If the wood is split past more than one screw hole, then you have to repair the split first. Put the door on edge with the hinge side up, wedge the split a bit wider with sharpened wooden matches or popsicle sticks, then dribble slightly watered down carpenters glue into the split.

Pump it down by removing the wedges and squeezing and releasing. Clamp the door, wipe off any excess glue with a wet rag and let it cure overnight. It is best to screw the hinges back on right after clamping, while the glue is still fresh and soft. You don't need expensive C clamps. Cheap Alligator spring clamps for wood working work just fine. (01/29/2009)

How do you repair a hole in a hollow core door? I need to repair a 2 in. x 4 in. hole in door. Can it be done without resurfacing the whole face with veneer? Thanks in advance.

Al from Collinsville, IL

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

Yes, we repaired ours with a wall patch from the hardware store over which we put compound. You will have to paint it through. (02/03/2009)

By angellface

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

We were moving furniture and put a hole in the face of one of our hollow core doors. Couldn't figure out how to fix it, so I went to Zellers and bought a full length mirror for $12 and mounted it on the door with mirror hangers. They are like the old black "thingies" that you mounted photos into albums with; one goes on each corner and one or two on each side and bottom, that mirror is mounted solidly! Got the hangers at the dollar store in a package. The whole cost was under $15. Cheaper than a new door. Hope this helps! (02/03/2009)

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

Yes with a little ingenuity you can fix it. What you need is fiberglass, sold in automotive department or some hardware stores carry a mesh tape that goes over wire when dry walling. So if using wire put inside hole and secure with fiber tape on surface of door. Using wood filler apply lightly over surface. Let dry smooth around outside edges. Apply another coat and wait to dry and sand with a 220 grit sandpaper. You can buy the putty in several shades to match wood door or if your painting over use lightest shade. (02/03/2009)

By Denise W

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

For the $15-20 bucks it cost, replace the door. Watch Menards, or other similar stores. It can cost you more to try and fix it, I know. Been there, done that. (02/03/2009)

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

You could veneer the thing easily, doorskins are sold at lumber stores for not much. Fill the hole with expanding foam and use paper tape over that. Better yet, ask at that lumber store. Have you priced replacement doors? (02/05/2009)

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

Like others have mentioned, getting a new door or door veneer may be the cheapest approach. New interior doors cost very little and many shades of stain can be found to approximate the original.

My brother fixed a door that had had a dent knocked in it. In this case the veneer wasn't gone, only cracked. He drilled a tiny hole in the middle of the dent and inserted a bent coat hanger wire to pull it back out. Then he applied Elmer's glue to the cracks. Once that dried, a little touch up with Old English (furniture touch up pens could be used) made the fix almost invisible. (03/19/2009)

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

The time and material you'll need to repair that door will add up to more than the door is worth. Just buy a new one. The only repair that's reasonable for a door like that is to cut it down to a desired size. (08/06/2010)

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

Try using the foam insulation in the applicator bottles, the kind you apply around windows to seal them. I used it to seal a hole in my porch post a wood pecker pecked through. You may need to take a saw and cut a rectangular hole into it, then I would take a piece of wood that fits the spot and epoxy glue it into place, then take the foam insulation and work around and level as best you can. Let dry. Then sand down and paint. Good luck. (08/07/2010)

RE: Repairing a Hollow Core Door

We did that. Put a dresser leg through the door. I bought a cheap full length mirror and mounted it on the door, covering the hole, with those little mirror mounts, leave it there when you move out, the new tenants will appreciate the "gift". (08/08/2010)